Pipe tongs



m ch 31. 1925. 1,531,377

C. S. CLARKE PIPE TONGS Filed Oct. 28. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l Elem'itlarke March 31. 1925.

C. S. CLARKE PIPE TONGS Filed Get. 28, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M ii in 1", II; w. I;

gnuenl'o'o Elem 5. Clarke Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

UNITED STATES CLEMENT s. CLARKE, or SHREVEPOR'I", LOUISIANA.

PIPE TONGS.

Application filed October 28, 1922. Serial No. 597,553.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, CLEMENT S. CLARKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shreveport, in the parish of Caddo and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe Tongs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in pipe wrenches or tongs.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of pipe tongs embodying a compact arrangement of article engaging jaws, which may be adjusted and relatively l5 moved in facile manner to accomplish the clamping of articles of. various sizes, without the necessity of prolonged adjustment and detachable connection of parts. I

A further object of this invention is the provision of an improved 'pipe wrench which may be easily and quickly adjusted for receiving pipes of a wide range of sizes; being capable of operation upon a piece of pipe in such manner as to securely clamp the same in peripheral manner, without the necessity of crushing strains such as is incident to the ordinary pipe tongs or wrenches. l

A further object of this invention is the provision of pipe tongs embodying an expansible frame, which is adapted for rotatably receiving a plurality of jaw elements having various sized article engaging surfaces thereon, whereby an article, such as a pipe, may be quickly, conveniently, and effectively clamped.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming.

a part of this specification, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views;

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved pipe tongs, showing the jaw elements thereof adjusted for the reception of a relatively small sized article, such as a pipe.

Figure 2 is a plan view, partly in section,

showing the jaw elements of the improved pipe tongs rearranged in order to accom modate a relatively large diameter article, suchas a pipe.

Figure 3 is a rear edge view of the improved pipe tongs, showing the various details thereof. I I

means D.

Referring to the frame construction B,.the same is formed as an expansible and con tractable loop and may include any number of link members. For ordinary sized pipes, it is preferred that but three link members be used'in connection with. the frame adjusting 'means D. These links are preferably the rear link 10, and side links 11 and 12 of similar formation pivotally connected at the ends of the link 10. The link 10 is preferably concavo-convex in formation including the side bars or rail portions 15 and 16, which are of concave-convex formation, and intermediate their endsprovided with aligning apertures 17. Just inwardly. of l the ends of the bars 15 and 16, they are rigidly connected, as by means of connecting ribs or reinforcing bars 20, which provide the pocket or space 21 intermediate said side bars 15 and 16 and the end bars 20, adapted for rotatably receiving a jaw element The ends 23 of the side portions 15 and 1 6, which extend outwardly from the connecting portions 20 are transversely apertured, as at 24, so that said apertures 24, at the ends of the links 10 are inaligning relation, for receiving the shank portions of bolts 25, which are utilized in connection with the oscillative connection of the links 11 and 12 to the link 10. i

The links 11 and 12 are substantially similar in construction, with the exception that link 11 is relatively longerthan' link 12, in order that it may cooperate with the 1 frame adjusting means 1).. These side links 11 and 12 each include the irregular shaped side rails or bars 27 and 28, which are transversely apertured as at 29 intermediate their ends, said apertures 29 being in aligning relation. The bar portions 27 and 28 are connectedat an end of each by the integral portion 30, which provides a bar or cylin-v drical shaped lug 31 extendingputwardly at therendco-fysaid link, and which is provided with e transverse aperture 32. The other ends or the bar portions 27 end 28 are connected as hyiineans-o'l theitrensverse reinforcing rib 35, whichv may be t -shaped in cross section, so that the end portions 3:5 of said bars 27 and 28 extend outwardly of this connection portion end are t1tl118- versely apertured, as at 37. The trsns- 'versely redueeden'd e'perture'd bur portions 31 of the links 11 and Bethesda ed for' fitting within the recesses get the ends soil the *liiil: 1'0 so th'at the too tures tor the link ,10 are in rtligning t'rel-zrtion w ieh the spertures 32 0 5 the T s '11 11.126912, I'for the reception of the bolts 25, :end :whereby the links ot the frame '33 entry be osoillnti vely in'eo ted .aseb Y holts .51 end r52. at an end 1 thereof to*theou wsrdly extending ends 186 1 for the linksll 52nd :12:resp -imely. i-Vhen may be had when blgmpingnnartiole uch itheglever 6011s thus menus-c ed :to-t as pipe. Fortthereeephon of .ler r-{ch- F53 pi": which may be enlsrged golvrostrietedi :aec'ordingttotheesoillstive moven'ient of the lever 50. Upon (GOilShIllGilfid :edyustment of ,thie-zfranie B,:the enetofithe linl; dilfldjeeent -the :oirame adjusting means, :is irolnt-ive'ly :moveed toward ithe iconcaved side -.ot ithe :ed- *jzrcentsznd l of the ilil'lk") 1:, and upon expansion oftherfreine opening '5 the-endsiot' dhflillllkSfilltdllCl l2, whichre mitotelly heated 'to ithe e,djusting, er .50 will "he :moved eme y ifiOlll -...each somer incident-to ,rtheir spared pivotal =eonnect1on ,with said lever 50, as can be readily understood.

l lhe' ju-ws or dogS G are edeptedjtor rotatable 'nronnting within the pockets of .the links 10, All nnd119, es .upon bolts 5,5, which :are transversely connected :to said links, as

1 through 1the intermediate apertures .17 and :29 promded therein. Each of the j ztws C is preferably provided with the flat .ztnd

- 3113513111611SUIYL$56 nude? which may be in sliding engagement with the insidesur- :faces of itllQdSidQlhZll'S? of athe .links 1.0, 11 and 1112. Each .01"- .theajztw members .6 I .turthermore provided with transverse .con .vities or depressions *whichere formed by" versely milling or otherwise forming the wj awsiG will engage it relatively sinzill radius, and is most re- :inotely positioned with respect to the pivoting bolt 55, in contra-distinctionto the succeedingrarcusteeurfsces (31, 62, 63, (A, and

(35, all of which are struck in the sides of a jew member *3, with 1 aressed indii,..und =wn1oh moreproxinmtely in A the pivotopening oil the bolt .55 :is disposed.

Referring to :the apemtion of the im proved type {of tongs -ferwt he ,r eeption or the smallest size of pipe, the jaws C are adjusted tin-the links [Oi :the i that the smaller srouate de ressionsiorsur- We disposed .dnws- .y of the iloop lopeni. gzlidain zfaningire'letion. Upo1i.swing- Lin :of zthe ilever for tcontrnction soi the frame :opening :58, litis obvious that the the .pipe whichiis axially (disposed through the ii reine topenin '53, so (that the garcunte surfaces 60 E015 the jaws C will peripherally engage the small sized :pipe, .s'nd securely clamp the same .Without that .crushing aetion which is incident to succession res-Bea to which (the the ordinary pipe wrenches, such the adjustable and detachable .lml: type. The

:arouete SUTLZLGQS v6O @to iinclusive of each 7 .oztthe 5m 10, may ibeiserretedi oritoothed in zany approved manner, .whereby hetter grip I ameter articles, such as pipes it isinerely .rnecesssry ito oseillete or rotate the member placed in the 1 opening; of the frame B as is illustrated in Figure 201E the. drawings, .andupon swinging of ,the operating lever ately inframe B; so

50, .thecsurfaces 6.5 .wilhconttorm themselves to the circumferenceof the article or pipe to :lEBggl ed. .Erom e .foregoing invention, its an lieseenthat tongs ha provided, by means. of which pipes n ide I -.range of ,di aineters may 'betquickly end convveni ently cl amped, .merely by oscillative, or rotative swinging of the sews Q to present the areuations thereof which snore nearly -.00nforms to the ,cirmnfijlerence or ,thekp'ipe to the clamped, snd the pipe ,mey he effectively .claniped merely by contraction of the :frame .13, .as .hereinbeitore noted. This adjustment is quickly effected, in contra-distinctiontothe detachable and-prolonged adjustableope-rationswhich are necessary for the ordinary Chitin and adjustelble types oi Wrenches now in common use.

description of this Various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts, such as the provision of various types of expansible and contraction frames, may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the class described,'the combination of a frame comprising a plurality of links pivotally connected to each other, operating means pivotally connected to certain of said links for holding the links in loop forming relation to each other and permitting expansion and contraction of the loop formed by the links when the operating means is moved, and article engaging jawspivotally carried by said links each includmg article engaging surfaces located at different distances thereon from the. pivotal point of said 'jaws, whereby different sized articles may be accommodated intermediate said article engaging jaws.

2. In a device of the class described, the

frame formed of a plurality of link members, means for contraction or expansion of said loop, and a plurality-of jaw member's rotatably carried by the links of said frame, 7

each of said members including a plurality of transverse arcuations struck fromdifferent radii, the surfaces defining said radii being located at different distances with respect to the axis of said jaws.

23. In a device of the class described, the combination of a frame including links pivotally connected in loop shaped formation for relative adjustment, said links hav ing transverse openings or pockets therein in facing relation with the loop of said frame, jaw elements having the sides thereof provided with a series of arcuate depressions therein of different sizes, and means rotatably mounting said jaws within the pockets of said links so that the depressions of said jaws may be selectively disposed in facing relation within the loop of said frame.

CLEM- CLARKE. 

